Rare Screening of “Different From The Others,” a 1919 Silent Gay Film

“Pride at Macy’s” in cooperation withqFLIX Philadelphiais presenting a benefit screening of a silent film classic, “Different From the Others,” made in 1919 in Germany and considered to be “one of the first gay-themed films in the history of cinema.”

The rare opportunity to see the film in a theater will take place in Greek Hall, 3rd floor, in Macy’s Center City, 4:00 PM, June 30, with live accompaniment on the Wurlitzer Pipe Organ by the renowned organist Nathan Avakian. The program will also feature curated LGBTQ+ selections from the International Youth Silent Film Festival from USA, Australia and New Zealand.

General admission tickets are $10 plus whatever else you wish to donate to support qFLIX Philadelphia 2019, March 25-31, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit. Complimentary refreshments, snacks, bags of freshly-made popcorn and even door prizes will add to the festivity of the screening for “Pride at Macy’s.”

The screening is open to the public. Advance tickets are encouraged and can be purchased online now here. Remaining tickets can be purchased at the door.

Not without controversy and scandal, “Different From The Others” was banned at the time of its release, and later burned by the Nazis and was believed lost for more than forty years.

But, happily, recently discovered film segments, still photos and censorship documents from different archives, Filmmuseum Muenchen has restored and resurrected this truly groundbreaking gay silent film.

Prior to the screening of “Different From The Others,” there will be an array of all award-winning LGBTQ+ films from the International Youth Silent Film Festival that takes place across the nation and around the world with competitions. Programmer Nathan Avakian, who is also the renowned organist who will accompany the films he selected by playing scores on the Macy’s organ in Greek Hall, has chosen a wide variety of shorts to flesh out the afternoon of film viewing.

“I’m pleased with the availability of LGBTQ(+) shorts that came from the International Youth Silent Film Festival that occur in various cities in the USA and in other countries around the world,” said Avakian, “They represent a very varied, diverse, selections of award winners and honorable mentions in special categories, almost any genre that you can imagine.”

In order of screening, these include:

“The Chase”(Western) directed by Benaiah Dunn, second place New Zealand 2017, second place International 2018

“Together” (Discovery) directed by Pascal Deck and Piergiorgio Sauli, second place Pacific Northwest & International 2017

“The First Film” (Discovery) directed by Zach De Hart, second place Pacific Northwest 2016.

Of the lineup that Avakian chose, he reflected: “It’s really extraordinary that these very young filmmakers have created such LGBTQ(+) short films of an incredibly wide range of types or categories, and, particularly in the silent film genre.”

“Avakian, a devotee of the silent film, has gone to great lengths to put together a selection of LGBTQ entries that offer the audience a taste of the interesting growth and development of the silent film short as its own genre in this day and age,” remarked qFLIX Philadelphia’s artistic director Thom Cardwell.